Gate or door latch.



J. S. KIRKPATRICK.

GATE 0B D008 LATCH.

AYPLIOATIOI run low. 11. 1912.

Q 1 71,05, Patented Aug.26,1913.

EALIES SHENNAN KIRmATBI CK, OF O'I'AUTAU, NEAR DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

GATE OB DOOR LATCH.

31 ,WZLQEFE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28,1913.

Application filed November 11, 1912. Serial I 'l'o. 730,730.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J AMES Susana): KIRK- PATRICK, a subject of His Majesty the King of Great Britain, residin at the town of ()tautau, in the Provincial lDistrict of Southland, near the city of Dunedin, in the British Dominion of New Zealand, railway stationmaster, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate or Door Latches; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My object in this invention is to provide a latch that securely holds a gate or door or the like, when same is closed or slammed, for when the latter happens, most fastemngs are apt to spring up and allow rebounding.

For my purpose I prefer a somewhat heavy latch, operating same downward, the reverse of the usual way, so that the knob has to be raised to open the latch. I insure the grate or door being kept shut by hinging the catch and furnish this with a tail, so that in shut-ting, the catch being the lighter, rises, and the point of the latch striking on the tail of the catch, causes it to come down and keep down. W'here animals are about, or where needed otherwise I protect the catch from them and from the weather by providin overhangin projecting plates.

Rei erring to tide accompanying drawing:-Figure l is an elevation of a gate with my latch in position thereon and also an attachmentfor use by riders or drivers, to open same more easily. The remaining figures are details. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the latch but with the front plate removed to show same better, and Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the catch with the part of the latch that engages it and showing the protecting plates dotted on said catch. Fig. 4: is a plan of Fig. 2 with a gate-rail and part of a post in position, showing the fastening to same.

A is a gate for which my latch is suitable. B B are the usual posts. C is the point of the latch, beveled or sloped back in the usual manner on both edges, as it does for right or left hand fastening. C is a balance weight fn boss to which the handle C and C are sejcured. D is the body of the latch wherein plivoted. E is the hooked, horizontal, latc -engagin arm of the angular catch and E is the spending tail-piece which holds catch E down by acting as a buffer when the gate is shut. E" are horizontal plates to protect the latch from weather or animals lifting the catch by rubbing against it; these are not always needed. The holes F, F in the catch-plate F are made oval for adjustment of the height of the said plate. For many purposes this would complete the latch, but 1 add an attachment for easier opening comprising a lever G provided at one end with a knob G and having its other end connected to the latch near weight C, so that by depressing knob G the latch is opened.

It will be seen that catch E E is by far the lighter it will lift without the latch moving and the latch-end C striking the tail E forms the gist of the invention.

I find in practice, no matter how hard the gate is shut this device holds it securely.

In this invention an suitable sizes or materials may be adopte Though any form of strutting a gate may be used, the one shown renders the gate easy of adjustment when needed.

Having described my invention, what I desire to claim and obtain a patent of the United States of America, is

1. The combination, with a latch, and a body wherein said latch is pivoted; of an angular catch comprising a horizontal latchengaging arm and a depending tail-piece, a plate to which said catch is pivoted at its apex, and a pair of protecting plates secured to the first-named plate and projecting laterally directly above and below said catch, said latch being considerably heavier than said catch, whereby it will raise said latchengaging arm on striking the same and will subsequently depress said arm on striking said tail-piece.

2. The combination, with a latch having a weighted end, and a body wherein said latch is centrally pivoted; of an angular catch comprising a horizontal arm adapted to engage the other end of said latch and a depending tail-piece, and a plate to which said catch is pivoted at its apex, said latch being heavier than said catch, whereby it will raise said latch-engaging arm on striking the same and will subsequently depress said arm on striking said tail-piece.

3. The combination, with a latch, and a body wherein said latch is centrally pivoted; of an angular catch comprising an arm adapted to engage one end of said latch and a depending tail-piece, a plate to which said In testimony whereof, I have hereuntpeet catch is pivoted at its apex; a centrallymy hand in the presence of two subscribing pivot-ed operatlng lever, and a connection witnesses.

between the other end of said latch and the JAMES BRENNAN KIRKPATRICK. 5 adjacent end of said lever. Witnesses:

Dated. this 12th day of September A. D. WILLIAM BIRD, 1912. Dnn'ron MACAULAY DAVEY.

Qcpies o this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

